Blecteical costwectee



Nov. s, 1927. 1,648,518

W. S. WERN ER ELECTRICAL CONNECTER Filed July 28. 1924 y QMWSWW,

A TTORNEY.

Patented Nov. 8, 1927.

UNITE-.D STATES l,t4,5l3

F E l FATE,

ELECTBEGAL Application filed. July 28,

My invention relates to improvements in electrical connecters. @ne oi its objects is to provide an improved electrical connecter adapted to connect X-ray tubes in high potential circuits, and `for similar purposes. Another object is to provide an electrical connecter adapted to be readily connected and disconnected, and which is pesitively locked against being accidentally disconnected while a high potential current is flowing. Another object is to provide an improved electrical connecter one terminal of which is provided with a lamp socket arranged to carry two electrical currents and which is adapted to be positively locked in its connected position, and requires to be iirst unlocked before it can be disconnected. Another object is to provide an improved combination lamp socket and positive electrical connecter to serve as a cathode connecter for X-ray tubes. My invention also comprises certain details of form and combination and arrangement o'l' components, all oi' which will be fullyset forth in the description of the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation ot an X-ray tube with my improved connecter applied to the cathode terminal thereof.

Fig. 2, is a side elevation of my improved connecter with the several elements thereof separated one from another.

Fig. 3, is a central vertical section through my improved connecter showing the several r elements assembled in operative relation'.

Fig. 4, is an end view ot the intermediate yconnecter member.

Fig. 5, is an end view of the opposite end of the intermediate connecter member.

Fig. 6, is a perspective view of one oi the latch members detached.

Fig. 7, is a central vertical section illustrating a modification. y

The accompanying drawings illustrate the preferred embodiment oit' my invention in which 15 represents an X-ray tube provided with an anode or positive terminal 16 and a cathode or negative terminal 17. The cathode terminal takes the torni of an in- 0 candescent lamp lilm 18 which is sealed into one end of the tube with two lamp or lilament terminals 19 and 2O ot the type usually employed in incandescent electric lamps projecting externally of the tube 15. The terminals 19 and 20 are concentrically arranged and insulated one from the other in the man- CONNECTER.

1924. serial No. 728,582.

ner usual in the threaded terminals of incandescent lamp bulbs.

These Y-ray tubes are fragile and delicate, and require to behandled with care to prevent injury thereto. rl`hey are also usually mounted in lead-glass shields to protect the operator from X-rays, with only their terminals projecting from the shields, which further renders them more liable to injury and less accessible to reliably and conveniently connect and disconnect the circuit terminals thereto and avoid injury to the bulb or to the operator.

In order to make connection with the terminals 19 and 20, l provide a socket member having a sheet metalv casing 22, a tubular terminal 24 separated by insulating material 25 from the casing 22 and threaded to engage the threaded exterior of the terminal 20. The terminal 24 is attached to a block of porcelain or other insulating material 26 inclosed and held in place by the casing 22.

A resilient terminal 27 is mounted in position to be engaged by the end of terminal 19 when the terminals 20 and 24 are screwed together. The terminal 27 '1s attached to an angle plate 28 by means of a screw 29. The angle plate 28 is in turn attached rigidly to the porcelain 26 by means of a stem or bolt 3() extending axially through the porcelain 26 and a clamping nut 31. rlhe terminal 24 is electrically connected to the casing by means of a thin strip ot metal 32 which extends over one edge of the insulating tube 25 into contact with. the inner :tace ot said casingA 22. The stem 30 extends through the rear end ofthe casing 22 where it is insulated from'the casing 22 by means of a sleeve 33 of insulating material held in place by means of a set screw 320. The end of the stem 30 extending 'from the casing 22 has a blunt point 34 and an annular recess 435 between the casing 22 and said point 34. Y

An intermediate connecting member 36 of insulating material is internally recessed at one end to tit the rear of the casing 22 and is bored concentrically to receive the portion of the stem 30 extending from the casing 22` A. resilient contact member or terminal 37 is seated in a recess in the con.- necting member 36 and is held in place relative to member 36 by means of a bolt 38 which also attaches an angle plate 39 to the rear end ot member 36. The free end of the contact member 37 yieldingly engages the rear end of casing y22 when said member 36 is forced over the rear end ot casing 22. A latch member 44 .is mounted in a transverse recess 440 at the rear end ol' member 36 as shown in Figs. 2 and 4 by means of two screws 390 and 40 passing through slotted openings 41 and 42. A coiled spring 43 is slipped over the end ot the latch member 44 :and seats against shoulders 72 to energize the latch member 44 ltending to hold said latch member at one extremity of its range ot movemei'ilt. A head or puslnbutton 45 at one end ot the latch member 44 yand extending beyond the side wall ot member 36 enables the. operator to for-ce the latch 44 backwardly against the pressure :of the .spring 43.

ilVhen the contact member A36 is forced into Iengagement with the `end of the casing 22, the pointed nose .34 ot the stem '30 :enters the central perforation 46 in the latch member 44 and erves to retract the latch against the energy ot the spring 43 until the latch member 44 finally enters the .annular Arecess '35 and thereby serves to positively :latch Ior lock the contact member 36 in position relative to the casing 22 and members carried thereby until lsuch `time as the push-button -45 is energized to release the member 36 from the casing 22. A resilient terminal member 48 is attached by a screw 49 to the member 36 and projects into position to be engaged by the nose 34 oi? the stem The screw 49 also serves to clamp an l:angle plate 5.0 to the member 43. The socket member and intermediate Vmember '36 fare relatively rotatable without interrupting the circuit.

A binding scnew 5l serves to connect one wire or circuit terminal t the :angle piste .39. A binding screw 53 serves to connect the opposite wire or circuit termina-l 54 to the angle plate 50. A terminal member for cap of insulating material is attached by screw threads 56 to the member v'llhe cap member' 55 is provided with a perforation 157 through which the wires -52 and 54 enter the recess in the cap member '55. Said cap meme ber serves to protect the operator from 'be Contact with the bare terminals .housed with-in said cap. The latch `member 44 is insulated by the member 36 from :the casing- 22.

In practice a low tension direct or alternating` current ows fsay Y.from the vterminal '39 through 'the bolt 38 and member 37 to the casing and hence through `the terminals 24 and 20 to one end ofi the iilament 18, thence 'from the opposite end xozt the filament 'i8 through vterminals i9 and :27 to the stem 30, thence by terminal 46, to terminal 'plate rlhe lament also serves :as the cathode terminal oit a high tension current which may enter the tube 11,5 by the electrode 16 .and leave tube l5 by electrode 18 and branch conductor 62. It desired the anode termi-- nal connection may be of the .same positively locked character heretofore described for the cathode terminal of .the X-ray tube.

' In Fig. 7 I have illustrated a modification of the socket member which is adapted to be employed in connection with members 36 and 55 substantially as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, but tor the purpose of creating an extension of the high .tension and lilament circuits leading to the iii-ray tube, in place of being employed to make connection direct-ly to the end ci the tube as shown in Fig. l. @ne or more ot the sockets shown in Fig. 7, are to be employed in addition to the cathode connection shown in Figs. l auf.I 3 to provide van extended circuit, for instance where it is Kdesired to locate the X-ray tube beneath a table or bed or in another similar locality at a distance from the X-ray cabinet.

The socket member Fig. 7 comprises a terminal 300 corresponding to the terminal 30 ci Figs. 2 and 3, provided with an annular recess 350 .and a point 340. The terminal 300 is insulated from a metal shell vor casing .220, corresponding to the shell 22 oi" Figs. .2 vand 3, by means oi a lcollar 330 ci? insulating material, corresponding to the member of Figs. -2 and 3. A socket member T7 ot insulating material is seated over one end of a tube 78 oi mica or :other insulating material through which the extension portions 7:9 and 8'@ of the circuit members 52 and 54 are conducted from the X-ray cabinet to the X-ray tube. The socket member T7 has attached thereto by means ci a screw Si a metal angle plate .82 let into a `recess in the face ot member T7. The shell 226 is .at ',tached to the Isocket member 7? by means oit screws '83 and `34, one o which :33 lis threaded into the insulating ymaterial of member 77 while the other 84 is .threaded into the angle plate 82 .to `establish electrical contact between the shell y220 and the angle plate 82 and section 79 of the circuit, which is attached by the screw '3l to the :angle plate 82. The opposite circuit meme ber is Lattached at one end to the inner end of the `member 300 by Amea-ns oit a clamping nut 35. In practice where the extension is employed a 'pair of members 36 and 55 located close to the X-ray cabinet are electricalla7 connected `to cir .uit terminals 52, 54, :and 62 'and mechanically connected vand locked as heretofore `described to the inembers 220 and 360 shown Fig. 7, located for instance at one end oia a long extension tube 78 of insulating material. At the opposite end of the extension tuoe 76., another .pair of members 36 andare employed. and Velectrically .connected to opposite ends ot the Acircuit extension members 79 and 30, and said last mentioned members 36 and `are .in turn to be connected mechanically to a socket member such as shown in Figs. 2, and 3., and

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which socket member is connected to the cathode terminals 19 and 2O of the X-ray tube. As illustrated the socket member 77 is held in place upon the end of the extension tube 78 by means of set screws S7 and 88. The socket member 77 may however be threaded upn the end of the tube T8 in substantially the manner shown in Figs. l and 3 if desired.

The apparatus herein shown and described is capable of considerable modification within the scope of the claims without departing from the spirit of my invention.

What I claim is:

l. An electrical connecter comprising a socket member having an annular terminal and a concentrically and centrally arranged terminal insulated therefrom and extending beyond said annular terminal, a connectingmember of insulating material provided with a terminal to resiliently engage said annular terminal and a terminal insulated therefrom to resiliently engage the central terminal of said socket member, and a resiliently actuated latch member carried by said connecting member and serving to detachably lock said connecting member relative to said socket member against displacement endwise while allowing said socket member and connecting member to move relatively rotatively.

2. An electrical connecter comprising a socket member having an annular' terminal and a concentrically and centrally arranged terminal insulated therefrom and extending beyond said annular terminal, a connecting member' provided with a terminal to resiliently engage said annular terminal and a terminal insulated therefrom to resiliently engage ythe central terminal of said socket member, said socket member and connecting member being relatively movable rotatively without disconnecting their terminals, and a resiliently actuated latch member carried by said connecting member and engaging said central terminal of the socket member to lock said socket member and connecting member against relative displacement endwise thereof.

3. An electrical connecter comprising a socket member having an annular terminal and a concentrically and centrally arranged terminal insulated therefrom and extending beyond said annular terminal, said central terminal being provided with an annular locking recess and terminating conically to engage and automatically throw a resiliently actuated latch member, a connecting member provided with a terminal to engage said annular terminal of the socket member and a terminal insulated therefrom to engage the central terminal of said socket member, and a resiliently actuated latch member carried by said connecting member and adapted to be automatically engaged and shifted by the introduction of said central terminal into said connecting member and to engage the locking recess of said central terminal to lock said socket member and connecting .member against relative displacement endwise thereof "while permitting relative movement of said socket member and connecting member rotatirely thereof.

et. iin electrical connecter comprising a socket member having an annular terminal and a concentrically and centrally arranged terminal insulated therefrom and extending beyond said annular terminal., said central terminal being provided' with an annular locking recess and terminating conically to engage and automatically throw a resiliently actuated latch member, a connecting member provided with a terminal to engage said annular terminal of the socket member and a terminal insulated therefrom to engage the central terminal of said socket member, and a resiliently actuated latch member carried by and movable transverse- .ly of said connecting member and adapted to be automatically engaged and shifted by the introduction of said central terminal into said connecting member and to engage the locking recess of said central terminal to lock said socket member and connecting member against displacement endwise thereof while permitting relative movement of said socket member and connecting member rotatively thereof.

5. An electrical connecter comprising a socket member having an annular terminal and concentrically and centrally arranged terminal insulated therefrom and extending beyond said annular terminal, said central terminal being provided with an annular locking recess and terminating conically to engage and automatically throw a resiliently actuated latch member, a connecting member of insulating material provided with a terminal to engage said annular terminal of the socket member and a terminal insulated therefrom to engage the central terminal of said socket member, and a resiliently actuated latch member carried by and transversely adjust-able relative to said connecting` member and adapted to be automatically engaged and shifted by the introduction ofV said central terminal into said connecting member and to engage the locking recess of said central terminal to lock said socket member and connecting member against displacement endwise thereof while permitting relative movement of said socket member andV connecting` member rotatively thereof.

6. An electrical connecter comprising a first member which is provided with an annular terminal and a concentrically and centrally arranged terminal insulated therefrom and extending beyond said annular terminal, a. second member provided with a terminal CTI to enga-ge and move rotatively relative to said annular terminal of the first member and a` terminal insulated therefrom to engage the central terminal of said rst member and to move rotatively relative to said central terminal, and a resiliently actuated latch member carried by and movable transversely relative to one of said members and to latch said members against disengagement endwise thereof While permitting; said members to move freely rotatively relative to one another.

7. An electrical connecter comprising a socket member and a connecting` member, one of said members beingr provided With a centrally projecting electrical terminal and an annular electrical terminal substantially Leeame concentrieally arranged about said central terminal, and the other o said members being` provided With an electrical terminal to engage and rotate relative to said central terminal and an independent el etrical termi nal to engage and rot-ate relative to said annular electrical terminal, and ap latch meinber carried by One of said members and operable to positively lock said socket member and connecting member against displacement endWise thereof(l While permitting relative movement of said socket member and connecting` member rotatively thereof.

ln testimony whereof, have hereunto atlixed my signature.

WILBUR S. WERNER. 

